Oh Siestas, it has been a day. My Chris has been home sick all day with a stomach flu since 5 am. Our Sydney got sick, too and the rest of us celebrated our Kylie's 9th birthday. I have been this tired before, but it has been quite awhile.
And yet, I find that my heart swells with joy as we look forward to the holiday season! I love the holidays. I never tire of them and never have gotten to the point where I have been ready for them to be over. I just love them. I love family gatherings. I love the laughter, the smiles and truly? I love the food that is available!
This year is especially wondrous, since we will sit at my Chris' family's table for the first time in four years for Thanksgiving. Chris has already been talking about the fare that will be dished up! And me? I love to hear their family together. That is even better than the shrimp dip that Chris' sister makes (you can make it from this recipe here).
I love the anticipation! I love the planning. I love serving up a favorite dish and hearing from him that it is as good, if not better than his mom's. That is a high compliment, indeed!
Oh, and I love fried turkey! I love it when it is so hot it will nearly burn your tongue as you eat it. And I love to chase it down with some tasty, southern sweet tea. Also? I love to taste the turkey, before it is being offered. I think it is the one instance where "stolen food tastes sweet" could not be a bad thing. How can it be wrong when it tastes so right??
Oh my. It is is a slippery slope, isn't it--pushing those limits? Lord, help us.
I do not love being responsible for making all of the food, serving it to just my family of six, and cleaning off the meat from the turkey bones after it's been served once or twice. This has been our story the past three years. We have no family here, so holidays have been a bit different. There is both good and bad in the mix. We have invited folks to share with us. We have made new memories.
But OH! How I love to put my feet under my Mother-in-law's rich, mahogany, table for 12 and hear the banter and laughter of brothers, sisters and parents. I love the lazy Susan in the middle of the table. And I love, love, love how this Baptist family will bring out the brandy sauce to go on top of the Christmas Cake Custard. That just makes me smile. I think it is just fun. It's the little things sometimes that make me smile the biggest.
To share the love with you dear ones, I will begin the season with this very recipe. It's in the cookbook, if you have one, on page 203. His Mom makes it just as often at Thanksgiving, as she does at Christmas. We all love to tease about how we could just drink the sauce. It will surely make you want to have seconds, if your tummy can handle its rich goodness.
Christmas Cake Custard
4 c. cubed pound cake
1 qt. light cream
7 med. eggs
1 c. sugar
¼ t. vanilla
1 T. butter
pinch of nutmeg
Beat eggs. Heat cream in microwave 'til warm. Add rest of ingredients, except pound cake.
In 12x8x2" pan spread the cakes cubes evenly on bottom. Pour liquid over the top and press down to soak up the liquid. Bake for 50 minutes in a water bath (put this pan in a larger pan with water in it) in 350 degree oven. Remove and cover with brandy sauce...topped with whipped cream!
Brandy sauce:
½ lb. butter
1 lb. dark brown sugar
2 lemons (juice and zest)
2 eggs (beaten)
Place all in heavy sauce pan and cook on med-hi heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Then add ½ c. Apricot brandy.
So, what have you tried lately that you want to share? Are there any recipes from the cookbook you have enjoyed? How about Thanksgiving?
Over the next 3 weeks, I'd love for us to begin sharing our family must-have RECIPES at the Thanksgiving table--also the recipes of leftover dishes that you make this time of year. So be thinking about what you'd like to share! On the fourth and fifth weeks, I will publish the recipes in the post. First, I will share the recipes for the table. And the day before Thanksgiving, I'll post the leftover fare. Whatdya think? Are you in?
If so, just post them in the comments from the recipe talk posts or email them to me at chrishollysmith at msn dot com, if you'd rather. Thanks Siestas. You know...I love you all so much. I am giving thanks for YOU all to Jesus right this minute.
11 comments:
Hi, Holly, Reading your blog this morning makes me very nostalgic. I remember how exciting it used to be at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I am still grateful. Things are just different at this season of life.The challenge before me continually is to remember the calling the Lord has upon my life to be an encourager. I read again this morning in Isaiah 50:4 "...that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary..." I look forward to trying the cake recipe you posted this morning. Sounds yummy. By the way, when do you sleep? I noticed that the time of posting was 2 a.m.! Love to you, Deidra (Dee)
Holly,
You are such a delight!
You always make me smile b/c I can just feel the joy jumping off the computer screen!
I also LOVE the holidays - they are so fun!
My must have is my mom's sweet potato casserole - it is the BEST!
She also makes the absolute most delicious REd Velvet cake !
Oh now my mouth is watering!
Love ya
Kim
Hee hee! Dee, I really get a ton of sleep. I need it to be "on" for all four kids every day. I schedule to post at 2am, 'cause I'm on mountain time. This allows the east coast Siestas to read it early.
"a Word in season to the weary" is a very good word for me today! Thanks Dee!
Love,
Holly
I wonder if this is bad to say but I love my turkey and I look forward to making it soon. A friend from many years ago taught me how to cook a turkey and I have changed it a little over the years but she made the best turkey and I am blessed to have her recipe. :) Also, prayer makes a BIG difference.
My sister makes a 5 layer cherry, cream cheese cake that is soooo good. I am asking her to make that for me and I will drive 4 hours to get it. Yes, it is that good.
Holly, my sweet friend, thank you for starting the Thanksgiving portion. It was fun when we talked about it last week and you know I am praying for your holiday!!
Much love,
Patty
This week I made Siesta Mama Beth's 5-flavor pound cake. It was as good as she said it would be! I only made a half recipe as a trial run and will make the whole thing on Friday for my church's annual women's retreat (Harvest of Blessing).
Thanks for all your great posts, Holly! Looking forward to hearing about everyone's favorite Thanksgiving treats.
Linda in Pa.
I have started out slowly making the recipes that are simple. I have made the "Easy Fruit Cobbler" (3 ingredients...cake mix, butter and fruit filling) Delicious!!!
I made BooMama's Taco Salad and my kiddos loved it.
I also made the Easy Cream Cheese chicken (sorry I don't have the page numbers), and it was a hit!!! I think this one also has 3 ingredients or less :)
Thanks again for all the time you have put into making the cookbook Holly!!!
I made the Sopapilla Cheesecake for life group and it got unprecedented rave reviews!
Oh how I LOVE Fall and what it brings - Thanksgiving and Christmas!
I am so ready for Thanksgiving! Here is a few of my families favorites:
SWEET POTATOE PIE
*This is a great dish anytime of the year but especially for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
3 cups cooked sweet potatoes (round ones, mashed by hand no hand mixer)
1/3 cup real butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
Mix all the above and place in a well buttered 2 quart casserole pie dish.
Then cover with topping:
1/3 cup melted real butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix together and place on top of the sweet potatoes mixture then bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
STRAWBERRY/CRANBERRY JELLO
*This is a delicious way to serve up cranberries!
1 - 6oz package of cranberry gelatin (raspberry if cranberry is not available)
1 - 6oz package of strawberry gelatin
3 cups boiling water
2 - 16oz cans of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 - 20oz can crushed pineapples, drained
2 cups chopped pecans
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water
Stir in cranberry sauce
Add crushed pineapples
Add pecans
Chill 3 to 4 hours or overnight
I use a wire whisk for stirring and it workes great. This will become a holiday tradition…enjoy!
TURKEY DRESSING
*This is our families easy version of a dressing that we make.
3 packages of Corn Kits (bake according to package)
2-3 cans of biscuits (bake and cube like croutons)
1 stick of butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
2-4 cans chicken broth
Sauté celery and onions in butter. Set aside to cool.
After baking Corn Kits, crumble up with your hands and set aside.
After baking biscuits, cut and cube like croutons.
Mix (with hands in a large bowl) 5 cups of crumbled cornbread, 3 cups of cubed biscuits, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
Pour cooled off celery and onions into bowl with cornbread and biscuit mixture. Toss with a big spoon and fold up.
Pour one can at a time (may need 2-3 cans) of chicken broth into mixture until moist and soaked. Only fold, don’t toss with hands.
Butter pan. Place mixture in pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 to 400 degrees.
HASHBROWN CASSEROLE
*This is great for breakfast or also makes a wonderful side dish for any meal. I like to serve it at Thanksgiving or Christmas with ham.
1 (30-32 oz pkg) frozen potato hash browns, THAWED
½ cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 ½ to 2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
1 - 8oz carton sour cream
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 cups cornflakes
½ cup melted butter for cornflakes (optional)
Mix together ½ cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and salt. Add cheese and fold in thawed potatoes. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Top with crushed cornflakes and drizzle ½ cup melted butter over cornflakes (butter on cornflakes step is optional – taste great either way with or without the extra butter).
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
*Cooks Note: The night before I make this dish, I take the frozen package of hashbrowns from freezer and transfer to refrigerator to thaw overnight.
EASY APPLE-BERRY CRUMBLE PIE
*This is a great pie.
1 ½ cups quick oats, uncooked
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
10 tbsp butter, melted
1 – 21 oz can apple pie filling
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 to ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 ½ tsp lemon juice or ½ lemon
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray pie plate. In medium bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar and baking soda. Add melted butter and mix well. Set aside ¾ cup oat mixture for topping. Press remaining oat mixture firmly on bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Using same bowl. Stir together pie filling, cranberries, whole berry cranberry sauce, lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour over hot crust, spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
*Cooks Note: Do not cover pie so that the crust will stay crisp.
By the way I did get to make the Earthquake Cake on pg 213 this past week and it was delicious!!!!
Help! It appears as of now I am cooking the Turkey and I do not do not do not cook! I am not sure how many there will be, small. Possibly four ....
What do I do??????? I really don't cook ....not at all!!!! I have thoughts of just buying one already prepared.......the rest of the family can cook when they get here...
Cooking terms are lost on me also so you have to be very very specific....hold this with your right hand while turning your head this way......
Thanks!
OK, Kathy--you CAN DO IT! I know you can...I know it!
We buy a cajun injector at the store (usually found in the Tony Chachere's creole seasoning section of the spices).
If frozen, we thaw the turkey in the fridge for 2-3 days. The night before Thanksgiving, we put the stuff in the injector thing-y and push it into the Turkey in various places, injecting the spicy goodness in the turkey.
With the turkey in a large baking dish (with about 3" high sides), we cover it with foil and cook overnight in the oven at 200 degrees. In the morning, take the foil off and turn the heat up to 350. Cook it until the skin is golden brown. The inside temperature of the meat needs to be 165 degrees.
Here is a website that has some good info, too: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp
Also, we don't cook the stuffing inside the turkey. We DO use the broth to make it, but we have an aversion to stuffing in the turkey. Don't know why...
I agree with Dee - this post DOES make you feel nostalgic!
I also LOVE me some fried turkey! I love how my man gets a little spring in his step when he's getting ready to assemble the fryer and do his part for the meal. One time, we had a small group thanksgiving meal at our house, and all the women suddenly realized that we were alone in the house. We walked out to the garage/driveway and all the men were huddled around the fryer, watching it do its thing. It was also about 20 degrees out! I don't think male bonding takes weather into consideration! :o)
This is my favorite Thanksgiving must-have - a little different than the traditional sweet potato dish:
Sweet Potato Souffle
1 lb. 13 Oz can sweet potato - drained
3/4 stick softened butter
1-1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Cup milk
1/4 tsp. nutmet
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix all ingredients with mixer. Pour into 2 quart baking dish, and back at 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes (or until semi-firm in the center). Remove from oven and add topping (below).
Topping
3/4 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup cornflake crumbs
Mix all together and sprinkle over top of semi-cooked souffle. Return to oven for an additional 15 minutes, or until center is firm.
Enjoy!
Melinda
Post a Comment